ATC judge sends Babar on a three-day physical remand and ordered police to produce him on March 10. CREATIVE COMMONS
It was difficult to independently verify what went on in judge Atiqur Rehman’s court, as media was barred from witnessing the proceedings of Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday.
Police produced Babar Hussain, a security guard who police and interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar have alleged to have “accidentally” shot Judge Rafaqat Awan.
Awan was one of the 12 people who were killed during a gun-and-suicide siege of the Islamabad district courts by armed militants on Monday.
What is confirmed, however, is that the ATC judge sent Babar on a three-day physical remand and ordered police to produce him on March 10.
But some people familiar with the ATC proceedings claimed Babar, who had provided Awan security since January 2014, cried in court and pleaded for his life.
Other sources said Babar recanted an earlier statement to a joint investigation committee in which he had allegedly admitted that “two bullets were fired accidentally” from his gun while he and the judge were trying to stop terrorists from entering the chamber.
Police did not confirm these reports when contacted.
On Friday afternoon, after they had offered funeral prayers for the martyrs of the incident, lawyers criticized the interior minister for fixing blame on the guard.
“They cannot blame one junior security officer and be done with it,” one lawyer said.
Lawyers announced to lodge an FIR against the interior minister and top police officials for what they called distortion of facts with regard to the attack.
“Yes, we have decided to approach the police for registration of an FIR against the interior minister, the Inspector General of Police, and Senior Superintendent of Police Operations,” said Islamabad District Bar Association President Naseer Ahmed Kayani, while speaking at a press conference.
Babar’s name surfaced on Thursday night when minister Nisar used the floor of the National Assembly to announce Babar had accidentally shot Awan dead.
Police later claimed both the judge and the guard were holding the door of the judge’s chamber to prevent the attackers from barging in when the guard’s gun went off.
The minister had said the guard accidentally fired from a “9mm” gun. But, according to sources, the security guards are typically issued 38-bore revolver.
Awan’s autopsy report did not identify the type of the bullet but it predicted that one of his entry wounds were from a bullet fired from at most five feet. Police, however, stated the bullets accidentally fired by the guard hit the judge “point blank.”
Police also interrogated some members of Awan’s courtroom staff on Thursday night, according to sources.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2014.
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